Overhead track and switch.



No. 800,626. PATENTED OUT. 3, 1905. D. B. CHERRY & E. E. WARNER.

OVERHEAD TRACK AND SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 5, 1905.

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m 5E3 ri WITNESSES:

IIVVE 70/?8 i g M7 By ATTOZZZ No. 800,626. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. D. B. CHERRY & E. E. WARNER. OVERHEAD TRACK AND SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1905.

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' ATTORNEV WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

DAVID B. CHERRY AND EDWARD E. \VARNER, OF KNOXVILLE, IOIVA, ASSIGNORS TO LOUDEN MACHINERY CO., OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, A

CORPORATION OF IOWVA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed June 5, 1905. Serial No. 263,847.

To a, whom, it TM/(I/y concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID B. CHERRY and EDWARD E. I/VARNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Overhead Tracks and Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to hinged switches in tracks for overhead carriers; and it consists of an improvement whereby the hinged section may be swung to a position substantially at right angles with the track, so as to permit the passage of a door therethrough or for other purposes, and, further, of an improvement in the details of construction set forth in this specification and more definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective of an overhead-track system embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view. Fig. 3 is a vertical system showing the jointed end of the switch-section and its connection to the main line of the track. Fig. 4 is a vertical section-showing the connection of the switch-section to one of the branch tracks. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the switch-section swung at right angles to the main track. Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical cross-sections on lines 6 6 and 7 7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a section of the main line of track, B the switchsection hinged thereto, and O branch tracks to which the switch-section is adapted to connect. The track may be constructed of any desired kind of track-rail; but it is preferably made of T-shaped rails a, as shown in crosssection in Figs. 6 and 7 and which are held together with upper and lower clamps D and E, through which and between the rails a bolt F is passed, as shown in Fig. 1. The bolts F are preferably formed with hooks on their upper ends to hook into brackets G, which are secured to overhead timbers H.

The end of the main track is preferably held in a rigid position by means of a special hanger I, which is adapted at its lower end tobe clamped upon the upper edges of the trackrails and at its upper end is made forked and spiked to one of the overhead timbers H. A joint-casting J is affixed to the lower edges of the rails of the main track A by means of the bolts K, which may also be used to clamp the lower end of the hanger I to the track. A corresponding joint or hinge section L is secured to the lower side of the adjoining end of the switch-section B by means of the bolts M.

The joint-castings J and L are connected together by a brace-casting N, which is secured to them by rivets O and O. The casting J is fitted with a slot P and the castingL with a tongue Q, which is depressed, so as to pass through the slot P and catch under the lower side of the casting J. These castings have upper faces R and S, which are made the same width and to occupy the same horizontal alinement as the wheel-bearing flanges of the track-rail, so as to fill up the gap between them, so the trolley-wheels can pass smoothly over them, the brace-casting N occupying a central position, so the trolley-wheels will run freely by it.

The meeting end of the face R is made concave, and the meeting end of the face S is made convex, so as to fit snugly into each other when in alinement or when the switchsection is slightly swung to the right or the left, as it has to be when connected ,with the outside branch tracks. WVhen the switch-section is swung to right angles with the main track, or approximately so, the casting L will turn on the rivet O and the convex end of its face S will be turned out of the concave end of the face R of the casting J. At the same time the tongue Q will move to the opposite end of the slot P, and the end of the track A being rigidly held by the hanger I and the tongue Q catching under the edge of the casting J the switch-section will be held in its proper horizontal position instead of lopping down, as it would otherwise do. The meeting ends of the faces being respectively concave and convex, so as to fit in each other, and being hinged together by the brace N, having a rivet in each end, and the tongue Q, being adapted to slide in the slot P will per mit the edges of the faces R and S to be held close together when in alinement, so as to form a continuous tread for the trolley-wheels,

l) by a bolt 0 and the latter to the lower sides of the branch tracks by one of the regular traclebolts F. The ends of the castings T and U which are connected to the track-rails are channeled, so as to receive and hold the free end of the casting T, which is made smaller to fit into said channel.

On the lower side of the casting T where the bolt 7) passes through is a stud or thimble IV, and a latch X, having in its body a slot X, adapted to slide on this stud, is used to hold the castings T and U together. IV hen it is desired to secure the switclrsection to either of the branch tracks, the free end of the casting T is placed in the channeled end V of the casting U on the branch track to which the switch-section is to be connected and the latch X is slid on the stud IV until its outer end comes under the adjoining end of the casting U. The end of the casting T cannot now get out of the channel V in the casting U except by withdrawing it endwise, and to prevent this ribs Y and Y are formed on the respective ends of the castings T and U, so that when the castings are drawn away from each other endwise these ribs will catch against each other and prevent the castings from being drawn apart. To hold the latch more securely in position, an upwardly-projecting finger or pin Z is formed on the inner end of the latch X so as to project up between the flanges of the rails forming the track, and thus prevent it from getting twisted around crosswise. A washer w is also used to hold the latch securely on the stud WV. The latch is also provided with an eye 0 on one end, into which a small rope or cord can be tied to pull it back and forth when too high to be reached by hand, or if the rope should be in the way a pole with a pin on its upper end to insert in the eye can be used to slide it back and forth and latch and unlatch the switch.-

The casting U is provided with a slot U where the bolt F passes through it, so the bolt can be adjusted back and forth the length of this slot to correspond with the position of the bracket G on the overhead timber.

It will be noticed that the timber H runs at right angles to the track A and that the forked end of the bracket I, which is secured to this timber, is set at right angles to its lower end, which is secured to the track. In case, however, the timber H should run parallel with the track A then the upper and lower ends of the bracket will have to be set parallel with each other to make the necessary connections.

hat we claim is- 1. In overhead tracks, a hinged section adapted to be swung horizontally to a position approximately at right angles to the track and a rigid bracket secured to theend of the track carrying the jointed section, and secured to an overhead timber.

2. In overhead tracks, a casting secured to l the lower side of the end of the track, a swing- 5 ing section hinged to said casting and a bracket secured to the upper side of the track opposite the casting and rigidly secured to an overhead timber so as to hold the end of the track rigidly in position while the section is being swung to one side or the other.

The combination of a track composed of two parallel rails having a space between them, a hi nge-section applied to the lower sides of said rails near the end of the track, a bracket having its upper end adapted to be secured to an overhead timber, and its lower end applied to the upper side of the track-rails opposite the hinge-section, and a bolt or bolts passed through the space between the track-rails and through the hinge-casting and the lower end of the bracket so as to clamp them securely upon the track-rails.

4. In a track of. the character described, a rigidly constructed combined hanger and bracket having its upper end forked and perforated for attachment to an overhead timber, and its lower end having arms extended at approximately right angles to its stem and secured to the track-rails substantially as described.

5. In a track of the character described, a rigidly constructed combined hanger and bracket having its upper end forked and perforated for attachment to an overhead timber, and'its lower end having arms extended at approximately right angles to its stem and to its forked end, so as to connect to a track running at right angles to the overhead timber.

6. In overhead tracks, a casting secured to the end of the main track and having an upper face corresponding in width and alinement with the wheel-bearing flanges of the track, and a similar casting secured to the adjoining end of a section of track, the two castings being hinged together to permit the swinging of the section of track, and their upper faces being in alinement with each other.

T In overhead tracks, a casting secured to the end of the main track and having an upper face corresponding in width and alincment with the wheelbearing flanges of the track, and a similar casting secured to the adjoining end of a section of track, the two castings being hinged together to permit the swinging of the section of track, and their upper faces being in alinement with each other, and the meeting end of one being concave and the other convex, so as to lit and turn, one in the other.

8. In overhead tracks, a casting secured to the end of the main track and having a slot in its free end, a casting secured to the end of an adjoining section of track, and having a tongue to pass through the slot and catch on the under side of the casting, and the two castings being hinged together to permit the free working of the tongue in the slot.

9. In overhead tracks, a hinged section secured to the main track by two castings, one of which is secured to the hinged section and the other to the main track, and the castings hinged together by means of an intermediate brace pivoted to each of the castings.

10. In overhead tracks, a hinged section secured to the main track by two castings, one of which is secured to the hinged section and the other to the main track, one of the castings having a slot and the other a tongue adapted to pass through and move in said slot and the castings being hinged together by means of an intermediate brace pivoted to each of the castings.

.11. In overhead tracks, a hinged section secured to the main track by two castings, one of which is secured to the hinged section and the other to the main track. the castings having upper faces in alinement with the wheelbearing flanges of the track, the meeting end of one face being concave and the other, convex, and the castings being hinged together by an intermediate brace pivoted to each of the castings.

12. In overhead tracks, a hinged section secured to the main track by two castings, one of which is secured to the hinged section and the other to the main track, the castings having upper faces in alinement with the wheelbearing flanges of the track, the meeting end of one face being concave and the other convex, a slot in one casting and a tongue on the other adapted to pass through the slot and move therein, and the castings being hinged together by means of an intermediate brace pivoted to each of the castings.

13. In overhead tracks, composed of two parallel track-rails having a space between them, hinged castings adapted to fit upon the lower flanges of the track-rails and bolts passed through them and up between the rails so as to clamp the'castings to the rails.

11. In overhead tracks, a switch-section hinged to the end of the main track, branch tracks having channeled castings secured to their ends adjacent to the switch-section, and a channeled casting secured to the free end of the switch-section and adapted to rest in the free end of the casting secured to the branch tracks.

15. In overhead tracks, a switch-section hinged to the end of the main track, branch tracks having channeled castings secured to their ends adjacent to the switch-section, a channeled casting secured to the free end of the switch-section and adapted to rest in the free end of the casting secured to the branch tracks, and a latch slidable on the casting of the switch-section, and adapted to catch under the casting on the branch track and hold the two in engagement.

16. In overhead tracks, a switch-section hinged to the end of the main track, branch tracks having channeled castings secured to their ends adjacent to the switch-section, a channeled casting secured to the free end of the switch-section and adapted to rest in the free end of thecasting secured to the branch tracks, a stud on the under side of the switchcasting, a latch slidable on said stud and adapted to catch under the casting on the branch track and hold the two in engagement.

17. In overhead tracks, a switch-section hinged to the end of the main track, branch tracks having channeled castings secured to their ends adjacent to the switch-section, a channeled casting secured to the free end of the switch-section and adapted to rest in the free end of the casting secured to the branch tracks, ribson the adjacent faces of the .castings adapted to catch against each other when the castings are drawn apart, and a latch on the switch-casting adapted to catch under the casting on the branch track and hold the two together.

18. In overhead tracks composed of two parallel track-rails having a space between them, a switch-section hinged to the end of the main track, branch tracks having connecting-castings fitted to the under-sides of the rails, a bolt passed up through said casting and between the rails of the branch tracks so as to hold said rails and casting together, a

connecting-casting fitted to the under sides of DAVID B. CHERRY. EDWARD E. WARNER.

Witnesses:

J. J. ROBERTS, G. C. CUNINGIIAH. 

